1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

As darkness falls on Chengiyuan village in northwest China, the spotlight shines on 83-year-old Jing Tingyou as his nightly show begins. The skilled shadow puppet (皮影) master takes center stage behind a white curtain, skillfully     1     (move) his puppets. Having devoted over six decades     2     the art of shadow puppetry, Jing is     3     expert in his field. He sets up his stage in a cave house in Gansu province’s Huanxian county. On the left side of the puppet master sits his younger brother, 73-year-old Jing Tingxiao,     4     accompanies him on a four-stringed instrument. They come from Huanxian, the birthplace of Daoqing shadow play, an important form of Chinese shadow puppetry. The Daoqing form     5     (be) more than 10,000 years since its first appearance, which     6     (include) on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. The Jing family band, to which the brothers belonged, was established in 1903 and is one of the most prestigious shadow puppet     7     (band) in Huanxian. During its heyday in the 1960s, Daoging shadow puppetry attracted many enthusiasts. However, with films and television series gradually     8     (become) the dominant source of entertainment in the late 1980s, its     9     (popular) became weaker and many performers moved on to other jobs.     10     the Jing brothers kept going and there has been a recent turnaround since Huanxian launched a string of projects to boost the art form. This ancient intangible cultural heritage is finding new vitality.

2 .

The day starts early for Tang Shengli, a bird protection volunteer in Lanshan county, Yongzhou, Hunan province. At about 5 am, the 60-year-old is in uniform and ready to start his day’s work protecting and recording migratory (迁徙的) birds. Located on the northern side of the Nanling Mountains, Lanshan is an important passageway for migratory birds. From September to December every year, more than 240 species of migratory birds fly from Siberia to Australia via Hunan. In the past 10 years, Tang has recorded more than 120 species of such birds with his camera. “The flight calls of the migratory birds at night attract me so much that I cannot sleep. All I want to do is get up and record them,” Tang says.

When Tang joined the Hunan provincial bird protection organization in 2013, he knew he faced a tough task. Numerous migratory birds were lost each year as a result of killing and illegal trade. At that time, poachers (偷猎者) lit up the hillside to attract the birds there and hunt them. Some nights hundreds of birds would be killed or caught, remembers Liao Changgui, an official with the local forestry bureau.

By day, Tang distributes brochures to villagers in Lanshan to raise public awareness of bird protection, while at night, he goes deep into the wilderness to tackle illegal hunting. “Many villagers didn’t think bird hunting was illegal, and some made a living from it. Our work has affected their business,” Tang explains, adding his wife was threatened at their home in order to stop him doing his work.

To stop poaching, in October 2012, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued a notice to prevent the illegal hunting of migratory birds. In December that year, the Hunan provincial government promised to fight against poaching and establish a bird monitoring and protection system. So far, 43 migratory bird protection stations have been built across the province, covering almost all key points on the passageway. In 2020, a “lights out” program started in Lanshan county to prevent the birds from being distracted (使分心).

On Nov 1, the Hunan provincial government issued a ban on hunting migratory birds and other wildlife listed under national and provincial protection. Nationwide, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration is carrying out a two-month special action plan to strengthen patrols and remove illegal hunting equipment in national parks, nature reserves and bird migration routes across the country.

1. Why did poachers light up the hillside according to paragraph 2?

A．To find their way around the hill.

B．To search for birds’ nests and catch them.

C．To draw the birds’ attention to catch them.

D．To lead the birds to fly safely and in the correct direction.

2. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word “tackle” in paragraph 3?

A．Give up.

B．Put off.

C．Call for.

D．Deal with.

3. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．Ways to punish bird poachers.

B．Routes migratory birds fly along.

C．Measures to protect migratory birds.

D．Reasons why poachers try to capture birds.

4. What is a suitable title for the news report?

A．Ensuring birds have a safe passage

B．Important passageway for migratory birds

C．Flight calls of migratory birds at night attract Tang

D．Tang records more than 120 species of migratory birds

3 . It is late autumn—millions of gardeners across the northern hemisphere, pulled on their thickest sweaters, spent hours clearing large piles of leaves and packed them into plastic bags at the end of driveways.

In the US alone, nearly 10 million tonnes of garden waste go to landfill every year. That is a large amount of effort, not just from an environmental viewpoint but from that of our aching backs, too. So where does this advice come from? Well, it largely comes from the belief that thick fallen leaves can make plants under them unable to breathe, especially shorter grass. They shut down important photosynthesis (光合作用) and get in the way of the growth of the shorter grass. However, this received wisdom has recently been questioned by researchers at Wisconsin University.

The key finding of their new research was that although clearing fallen leaves is one of the most common gardening practices, it makes very little sense. In natural ecosystems, fallen leaves help return nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth to the soil, which greatly improves soil condition. Removing leaves year after year breaks this ecological (生态的) balance. Letting some leaves stick around to cover your garden is a great way to help your grass and the local ecosystem.

They further explained that if up to 50percent of your grass lawn (草坪) is covered by fallen leaves, you might as well go back indoors and put your feet up. The advantages of this light leaf coverage far outweigh the disadvantages—the leaves will quickly break down and help next year’s lawn grow far better than if you had cleared them. Only at over 50 percent coverage do the Wisconsin researchers recommend clearing.

So why not consider leaving the leaves? Save time, carbon and effort, and in exchange get a healthier lawn from this garden waste—that seems like a pretty good deal. And how many plastic bags could be saved by simply not binning fallen leaves every year? In the US alone, about 700 million.

1. What does the author describe in paragraph 1?

A．An amazing autumn game.	B．A common sight in gardens.
C．A hot attraction in the north.	D．An extreme weather event.

2. What is the received wisdom?

A．Fallen leaves need not be cleared.

B．Fallen leaves protect shorter grass.

C．Fallen leaves block photosynthesis.

D．Fallen leaves are hard to break down.

3. The new research finds clearing fallen leaves makes little sense, because ________.

A．it ruins city image	B．it breaks gardening rules
C．it affects local economy	D．it causes ecological damage

4. What’s the author’s attitude to Wisconsin University’s study?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Unclear.

D．Worried.

4 . Jim Curry lights a stove in the parking lot of Christ Episcopal Church in Guilford. It’ll get up to 2,000 degrees, hot enough to soften the metal of shotgun parts so they can be reshaped.

A crowd is watching, and Curry picks out a 9-year-old named Oliver to help him. “This is really magic,” Curry says. “Right before your very eyes, you’re gonna see Oliver transform this gun, this instrument of potential harm, into something that could never be a gun ever again. It’s gonna be a trowel (泥铲), which could be used to plant flowers in a garden.”

“It is exciting,” Oliver says. “I love the fact that you can take metal that’s random and shape it into something useful.”

Curry, a retired priest, is a co-founder of Swords to Plowshares (犁) Northeast, the organization putting on this event, which helps police departments manage their gun buyback programs and repurpose the weapons into gardening tools.

The finished tools are donated to community gardens and agricultural high schools and the harvested vegetables donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters, according to the group’s website.

Retired priest Mary Ann first volunteered with Swords to Plowshares when a family member fell victim to gun violence. She helps collect guns through police buybacks. “When there’s such despair now in our country, people need to know that we can change. There is hope,” she says.

Curry wears a constant reminder of that hope around his neck. It’s two large pieces of metal molded into the shape of a cross. “It’s made out of pieces of an AK-47 used for killing”, he says. “But God’s love breaks it apart, reshapes it, then transforms it into the sign of greatest hope — the cross. And that’s why I wear it.”

1. What do Curry and Oliver do in the parking lot?

A．They measure the temperature of a hot stove.

B．They do magic tricks in front of many people.

C．They turn what’s threatening into what’s useful.

D．They do experiments on how to make useful tools.

2. Where can you find the reshaped tools from the text?

A．In homeless shelters.	B．In some famous gardens.
C．In agricultural high schools.	D．In kitchens of the community.

3. What can be inferred from Marry Ann’s words?

A．She feels desperate as she lost her beloved one.

B．Her country may be under threat from gun violence.

C．She will do something significant to rescue the world.

D．Her family member was killed because of gun violence.

4. What can you learn about Curry from the last paragraph?

A．He made the cross all by himself.

B．His cross is a weapon used to kill.

C．The cross reminds him to reshape more tools.

D．The cross represents his hope for a better life.

5 . Everyone has got a plan, a goal, a target that we all want to achieve. However, for many reasons we pause to take a sigh, and most times we don’t do anything about them anymore. So how can you set goals properly?

Reading some good books about setting goals is a great place to start. These books should push you ahead of the rest, and importantly, to make you attain your set goals.

Creating Your Best Life

Written by Caroline Miller, MAPP, she takes the standard SMART formula for goal setting and goes beyond that approach. She makes a point of giving you specific exercises while also sharing related stories. It’s a great book to consider as we connect better with stories and can find more motivation to set goals in the manner that Miller outlines in her book.

The Magic of Thinking Big

“You are what you think you are,” writes David J. Schwartz, PhD in The Magic of Thinking Big. Exceeding your goals is possible when you believe in yourself. Get over the fear of failure and use the power of a positive attitude to achieve big things.

The Book of Mistakes

Skip Prichard is a wonderful storyteller and weaves that skill into this book. This book takes a figurative person who discovers nine mistakes that highly successful people never make.

Goals!

Author of dozens of books on personal development, Brian Tracy explains the 12 steps necessary to accomplish goals both large and small. The author emphasizes self-discipline and persistence and two keys to achieving your goals.

1. What’s an advantage of the books in the text?

A．They stop you complaining of facts.	B．They identify the reasons for a pause.
C．They help you achieve your set targets.	D．They push you to design a grand project.

2. Which book stresses the importance of self-confidence?

A．Goals!	B．The Magic of Thinking Big.
C．The Book of Mistakes.	D．Creating Your Best Life.

3. Who introduces the detailed process of achieving goals?

A．Brian Tracy.	B．Caroline Miller.
C．Skip Prichard.	D．David J. Schwartz, PhD.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How does the man feel about flying?

A．Excited.

B．Bored.

C．Scared.

2. Who has a driver’s license?

A．The man.

B．The woman.

C．Neither of the speakers.

3. What does the woman say about traveling by bus?

A．It’s unpleasant and inconvenient.

B．It’s great to see the scenery.

C．It’s exciting to meet other passengers.

4. What means of transportation will the speakers take to get to Georgia?

A．The plane.

B．The train.

C．The car.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Earthquake in northwestern China kills at least 118 people

An overnight earthquake killed at least 118 people in a cold and mountainous region in northwestern China,     1     the country’s state media reported on Tuesday. Search and rescue     2     (operate) were underway in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai provinces. The earthquake left more than 500 people injured,     3    (severe) damaged houses and roads, and knocked out power and communication lines.

The magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in Gansu at a relatively shallow     4    (deep) of 10kilometers just before midnight on Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

By mid-morning, 105 people had been confirmed dead in Gansu and another 397 injured, including sixteen people     5     critical condition. Thirteen others were killed and 182 injured in Qinghai in an area north of the epicenter (震中), according to state media. Another 20 were missing in Qinghai after     6     (bury) in a landslide, according to the China News Service.

The earthquake     7     (feel) in much of the surrounding area, including Lanzhou, the Gansu provincial capital, about 100 kilometers northeast of the epicenter.

The rescue work was proceeding in     8     orderly manner. Tents, folding beds     9    quilts were being sent to the disaster area. At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers were dispatched (派遣) in the rescue effort, and the People’s Liberation Army Western Theatre set up a command post     10     (direct) its work.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How old is the speaker’s brother?

A．15.

B．19.

C．20.

2. What is the speaker’s mother?

A．A police officer.

B．A nurse.

C．A firefighter.

3. Why is it hard for the speaker to see her brother now?

A．Her brother has been infected with COVID-19.

B．Her brother is in isolation because of COVID-19.

C．Her brother is busy helping fight against COVID-19.

4. What does the speaker decide to do in the future?

A．Help more people like her brother.

B．Spend more time with family.

C．Study in a police training school.

9 . Being first time parents can be a really happy and________time for most people. The feeling — in a few months, you’ll be able to________a new little baby in your arms and call him your own — is________what married couple Kate and David Ogg felt. More________were heading their way when they found out that they were having twins. It is very exciting to have a baby, let alone having two at the same time. However, their lives were________worry when Kate went into labor (分娩) in just 26 weeks.

Although it is pretty normal that twins are born without full term (足月), 26 weeks is also a bit________for some. There was a lot of stress and________at that day but what they didn’t know was that they’d receive news that would________their hearts. After giving birth, they were________that they had a boy and a girl. However, the doctor said that the boy didn’t survive (存活) and________him over. Without any words, Kate immediately took the baby and held him________to her. She called for her husband to climb up the bed and give the baby as much________as possible. They hugged him for some time and then suddenly, by some miracle (奇迹), the baby moved in Kate’s arms. The couple were________and looked at the baby who’s moving and breathing (呼吸). They immediately________the doctors to come quick. Now, the twins are already 10 years old and are both at the most perfect________as they can be.

1.

A．exciting

B．tiring

C．sad

D．risky

2.

A．join

B．bring

C．hold

D．drop

3.

A．exactly

B．especially

C．usually

D．slowly

4.

A．chances

B．surprises

C．stories

D．reasons

5.

A．stopped from

B．asked for

C．set about

D．filled with

6.

A．successful

B．early

C．kind

D．shy

7.

A．hate

B．happiness

C．worry

D．anger

8.

A．break

B．follow

C．change

D．protect

9.

A．read

B．planned

C．spoken

D．told

10.

A．left

B．fell

C．handed

D．checked

11.

A．hard

B．close

C．simply

D．easily

12.

A．time

B．joy

C．heat

D．food

13.

A．shocked

B．relaxed

C．improved

D．touched

14.

A．thought of

B．looked at

C．found out

D．called for

15.

A．feeling

B．health

C．practice

D．activity

10 . Travelling plays an important part in making us feel relaxed and happy. It also brings good changes in our life and keeps us alive and active. Travelling gives us practical experience of things we have studied in the books. So a person who does not travel at all does not find any meaning in the name of Ganga River. However, if he has travelled to this place, he can truly relate everything he has studied and will always remember each and every detail of that place.

Nowadays, many people like travelling as they want to explore the world and watch everything they have read about. And this seems to be quite true as practical knowledge is more important and effective (有效的). People like to visit historical places present in different parts of the world and collect information on the same to write books and stories.

Travelling has become easier due to (由于) advancement in technology and transportation (交通). Earlier people used to travel by road or sea and it took many days to travel from one place to another. However, now the situation has changed and people travel to far off places within hours and minutes — thanks to well-built roads and airplanes.

People travel for different purposes, some travel for further education while others travel to relax and enjoy. Many people take a break from their busy schedule and go for a vacation, which makes them feel pleased and energetic (充满活力的).

Many writers and painters travel to different places to experience some of the best things of nature and express them in the form of paintings or books. People also travel for business purposes so as to make money from their business. Students travel for educational purposes. Everyone has a unique reason to travel. Therefore, travelling is an important part of human life and it provides knowledge and offers all kinds of benefits (好处) to mankind.

1. What does the author want to say by mentioning the Ganga River?

A．The Ganga river is a good place to visit.

B．Travelling brings good changes in our life.

C．Visitors fail to find the meaning of the Ganga river.

D．People should travel to experience the things in the books.

2. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The traffic in earlier times.

B．The time spent on travelling.

C．Changes in means of transportation.

D．The reasons why travelling has become easier.

3. What can we know from the last two paragraphs?

A．Different people have different reasons to travel.

B．Businessmen always travel for a vacation.

C．Writers travel to sell their books.

D．Painters love travelling the most.

4. What does the author think of travelling?

A．Useful but expensive.	B．Important but difficult.
C．Meaningful and necessary.	D．Pleasant and safe.